Welcome back to Hugo’s Habits! 🚀 

This week’s habit is focused on HEALTH!

(Estimated read time: 2 minutes)

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Shop the Best Deals

This Week’s Thoughts. 💭 

I started this newsletter six months ago with the sole intention of helping anyone I know with their daily routines.

Well, this was originally to be a personal finance newsletter for young people, as I noticed the number of my friends who literally had no idea about saving, investing, or other basic finance skills.

However, after reading “Atomic Habits” by James Clear for a second time, I realised how truly important good habits and small changes are, and how much they can change someone's outlook on life.

So why am I writing all this?

After talking to various people throughout the self-development community, as well as people on X/Twitter, it seems the true pain point in the habit-building community is breaking bad habits, as opposed to building good ones.

So, from this week on, Hugo’s Habits will also be covering various bad habits/addictions, including ones I have suffered from myself, by giving easily digestible and implementable strategies to kick some of these tricky habits.

Starting with one I experienced for a long time.

Being completely hooked on caffeine.

Let’s begin.

Quote of the Week 💬 

☕️ Should We Delay Our Caffeine?

One bad habit that I have broken (kinda) is a complete addiction to caffeine.

This was done slowly over time, mainly by changing my relationship with it.

I used to sleep 5 hours a night, or 10 hours a night. This changed constantly.

Regardless of how long I slept that night, as soon as I woke, I would make a B-line for 150mg of caffeine ASAP.

Through coffee, energy drinks, you name it.

Now I sleep consistent hours every night, and have my first coffee 90-120 minutes after I wake up.

Why?

Caffeine plays an interesting role in how our bodies manage alertness and fatigue by interacting with a compound called adenosine.

Adenosine is a naturally occurring molecule in the brain that builds up throughout the day, especially during periods of wakefulness.

As adenosine levels rise, they bind to receptors in the brain, creating a feeling of drowsiness and signaling that it’s time for rest.

How Caffeine Interacts with Adenosine

When we consume caffeine, it doesn’t directly give us energy.

Instead, it works by blocking adenosine receptors in the brain.

By occupying these receptors, caffeine temporarily prevents adenosine from binding to them, making us feel more alert and awake.

This is why a cup of coffee can help us feel instantly energised—it’s literally blocking the brain’s natural “tiredness” signals.

The "Crash"

The effects of caffeine are temporary, lasting only a few hours before it wears off, depending on factors like metabolism and tolerance. 

When caffeine’s effects subside, adenosine levels, which have continued to build up, quickly flood the receptors.

This often causes what we know as a “caffeine crash,” where tiredness feels more intense than before.

This used to punch me in the teeth every day around lunchtime.

I would then skull another 2/3 coffee, resulting in me not being able to sleep that night.

And the cycle continues.

Why Delaying Caffeine Helps

If caffeine is consumed too early—right when cortisol (our body’s natural wakefulness hormone) is at its peak—it can lead to a higher tolerance for caffeine over time and disrupt natural energy rhythms.

By waiting about 60–90 minutes after waking, we allow adenosine to clear naturally and cortisol to start tapering down.

This helps caffeine have a stronger and more balanced effect on alertness, which can make us feel less dependent on multiple doses throughout the day.

Don’t believe me? 

Watch the king’s deep-dive below, super interesting stuff. 👇️ 

(Don’t worry about your TikTok brain, it’s a podcast clip.)

That’s all for this week! Any questions?

I answer all DMs on my socials, or reply to this email! 📨 

This newsletter is designed for you to introduce habits to allow every reader to be the happiest, healthiest, and wealthiest version of themselves! 

See you next week,

Hugo.